Archives in the Classroom: Letters from the Trunk

"And when the settlers arrived in Western Canada ..."

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Teachers are constantly trying new weapons in their arsenal to fight Historytitis (the attack of boring history classes!) We have all witnessed the glazed-over fish faces that grace classrooms when teachers try to get their students interested in history.



While the tiger cage has potential, a better strategy to fight off the vacant stares is through the use of interactive media such as smartboards and website presentations that involve the students directly. One website worth considering is the Archives in the Classroom: Letters from the Trunk.



It allows students the ability to explore Alberta's immigration history in a virtual train station. The train station contains historical documents, maps, student journal activities, and additional resources for teachers linking the archival material to their curriculum. Students can open up trunks and 'discover' for themselves the stories of French immigrants, Italian immigrants and the life of British immigrant Dr. Mary Percy Johnson.

There are many different kinds of mediums, such as newspaper clippings, interviews, photos and journals. The materials in the trunks are all from archival sources and teach students to look at sources critically. There are also tutorials teaching students about archival materials, the difference between a library and an archive and the principles of archival practices. The student journal allows students to bookmark and comment on important materials and it is saved for the next time they visit the site.

This site is a blend of interactive graphics, primary source materials and thought provoking questions which creates a dynamic site full of fun historical learning!

ChEcK it OuT @ http://www.ataoc.ca/archives/main.html